Stage Fright
by Black Violin
Summary: Riku finds new friends! But what happens if his old friends don't like them? Unknown tradgety and a twist of fate, what will happen to Riku?


A/N: Please read even if it makes no sense right now. Thank ya!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts!!!!**

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They walked on stage. Ryen took her place behind the drum set, leaving Len and Riku standing by the microphones. The crowd of teenagers cheered enthusiastically, drowning out the guitarist's last minute tuning. Riku adjusted the cord connecting his instrument to the amplifier. It was plain to see his nervousness as he fiddled with the knobs on his guitar. The owner of the club walked out on stage to introduce the band of three.

"I know you're ready for some more hard core rock," He shouted. The crowd's wild uproar increased, "Then get ready for the 'Crimson Tide'!"

The lights dimmed and the audience quieted. Ryen set out the beat with a quiet tap of the cymbals, and Len followed with a steady three-note rhythm on his bass guitar. Riku stepped closer to the mic, and began gently strumming his tune. The melody was smooth and hesitant, dangerous like.

"_Maybe it's time,"_ Riku sang in almost a whisper, _"Maybe it's time,"_

"_It's time!" _Len shouted in to his microphone. Riku then attacked the strings of his guitar, creating a heavy chord and Ryen set out on the drums with a rhythmic assault. Len's part generated an intense echo through out the club. People shouted and cheered for them.

"_Beaten, battered,_

_Weak and powerless,_

_Your eyes do not deceive you._

_Is this your idea of a hero?_

_Maybe it's time,_

_That you look the other way,_

_Leave me in the darkness._

_Everything is better that way."_

"_Better that way…" _Len sang, like a ghost echoing Riku's words.

"_Don't refuse,_

_You'll only get hurt,_

_Pain is all I can offer._

_Is that what you want?_

_Maybe it's time,_

_That you looked the other way,_

_Leave me in the darkness._

_Everything is going to be ok."_

"_It's going to be ok…"_

"_I'd give you my soul,_

_If I had one to offer,_

_You should know by now._

_There's nothing there."_

The band suddenly fell into pianissimo. Riku strummed a gentle chord, letting his instrument slowly fade to where it was almost unheard by the now captive audience. Len took over with a beautiful solo. Riku could see that his friend's eyes were closed, allowing the music to come from his soul and not through concentration. Ryen tapped out a timid beat on the cymbals. With a smooth crescendo they all paused and re-entered with the same sudden crash of sound they started with.

"_Maybe it's time,_

_That you looked the other way,_

_Leave me in the darkness._

_I'm here to stay."_

"_I'm here to stay…"_

"_Even heartless have to say goodbye,_

_And nobodies must disappear._

_Heroes will eventually die,_

_Farewell."_

"_Farewell…"_

"_Maybe it's time,_

_That you looked the other way,_

_Leave me in the darkness,_

_Everything is better that way."_

Ryen finished the song with a riotous thunder of her last few beats before the three completely stopped. The mob of teens roared with wild whoops of thrill and mad applause. Riku flashed a smile at his friends and returned his attention to the audience.

"Thank you!" He shouted into the microphone. A group of girls that had gathered near the stage squealed enthusiastically.

"Be sure to vote us thumbs up!" Len added, raising his arms with two thumbs up.

Ryen came up to the front, stealing the mic from Len, "Be sure to buy our demo CD too!"

Riku laughed but stopped abruptly when his eyes happened to notice a familiar pair near the back, away from the crowd. He paled at the sight of Sora and Kairi. Sora stood with his arms crossed and disappointment etched into his eyes. Kairi was turned away, but he could tell that she was upset. There was a searing pain in his heart and a desperate need to go to them.

"Riku, you coming?" Ryen shouted to him. Riku turned. Ryen and Len were already leaving the stage.

"I'll catch up," Riku said, disconnecting his guitar from the amp and jumping off into the audience. The mistake was almost instant. New fans tried grabbing his attention. They crowded around him, wanting him to sign autographs and answer questions about the band and the upcoming demo CD. Riku desperately pushed past the many people to get to his friends. Lucky for him, the next band for the contest was introduced and everyone turned their interest to the stage.

When Riku made it to the back of the teen club, Sora and Kairi were gone. He called their names, hoping that they were still there and, even though his voice was drowned out by the blaring music, that they could hear him. But it was clear that they couldn't, because they were no longer nearby.

He ran to the nearest exit and out into the cold street. It was deserted except for two or three people smoking close by. Riku tried calling his friends again, but his voice became cracked and dry. He knew that they couldn't hear him, and even if they could, they probably wouldn't want to speak to him.

"_How did I let this get so out of hand?" _Riku asked himself, _"It's my entire fault."_

He shivered but it wasn't because of the frozen wind that hit his bare arms, it was the realization that he had just lost his two best friends.

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A/N: This makes no sense, right? GOOD!! Everything will be explained in the chapters to come. So please read and enjoy! Comments are loved and flames are accepted.

-Vivi

_P.S. I own the song!! It was created and written by me!!_


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